Far Away

Take Care

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't at all disappointed when he saw the face on the monitor.

"DiNozzo."

"Hey, Boss." Tony cringed at his slip-up. Gibbs wasn't exactly his boss anymore.

"How's the sea treating you?"

"Fine." He wanted to go home more than anything, but Gibbs wasn't the kind of person you could just endlessly complain to.

And he was still angry that Gibbs let Vance send him away.

Neither of them spoke for a minute or so, until Tony said, "I should go. They probably need this computer back."

"Take care of yourself," Gibbs answered, and frustration surged through Tony's chest. He wouldn't be in this mess if Gibbs had stuck up for his team.

"Will do." He ended the video call and leaned back in the chair.

"Excuse me, are you...?"

"Yeah, yeah." Tony got up and left the command room. He slowly made his way back to the living quarters. There was nothing for him to do anyway.

***

She stared at the last page, uncomprehending. "You want me to what?" she asked.

Her father sighed over his templed fingers. "Must I explain it in smaller words?"

Oh, that really was too far.

She pushed herself away from his desk so she could stand. "You are asking me to walk into a suicide mission, and you will not even clarify a detail for me?"

He did not let her tower over him for long. He stood up and gave her a beseeching look. "You are the best I have. You should be honored to have this assignment."

That was like a blow to her already wounded spirit. "Well, I am not." She hated everything about the assignment. She hated being back at Mossad, she hated being thrown right into a mission, she hated feeling like she had not made any progress with her life.

Three wonderful years of freedom, of feeling like an actual person, and here she was again. Back where she started. Back to only being a means to an end. Back to being less than she wanted to be.

"What if I refuse?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. She didn't care if it seemed childish; she wasn't going to let her father push her around anymore. She knew what she was worth, and she was going to set conditions if she had to be under his control again.

He seemed almost amused. "My Ziva. Do not make such a big deal of it. This assignment is no different from any other assignment you have ever completed."

"That is not my point."

The self-assured expression on his face infuriated her. How was it possible that he could treat her both like a child and a weapon at the same time?

"Go on, then, tell me, what is your point?"

She was tempted to stomp her foot and storm out of his office. "If I am going to help you, I have some conditions."

He laughed. He actually laughed. "Ziva, there is no 'if.' You were sent back to me to resume your job."

Her hands bawled into fists at her sides. "Perhaps, but things are different now. I am older. I have more experience. I will not let you continue to walk all over me."

Eli's eyes widened minutely. "Is that so?"

She didn't answer, only held his gaze stubbornly.

Finally he had to look away, sighing. "We are wasting time. Tell me your conditions."

She proceeded to lay out a set of terms she thought were very reasonable. After her stint at NCIS, there were a few things that were non-negotiable. She wanted respect. Time. Freedom.

She wanted to be able to say no.

Her father listened politely, not speaking until she was done. "We will discuss these later."

"I am not starting any assignment until you have agreed."

Again he laughed. "You ask for respect, and yet you continue to act like a child! Can you blame me for hesitating to give in to your every request? You are only the best because I do not give your preferential treatment. I do not spoil you. And yet you are acting like a child used to getting her way."

She had to keep reminding herself that he was her father, he was the director if Mossad, she would be in huge trouble if she hit him.

Oh, but it was so hard to keep her fists at her sides.

"I always wondered if I made the right choice letting you work with NCIS, and now I know. It was a mistake. They have ruined you. You are soft, spoiled, lazy, just like the Amer-"

"Do not finish that sentence," she hissed, "or I will walk right out of here. I do not owe you anything."

Why did he have to act like this was all so amusing to him?

"You are further proving my point."

"That is it." She knocked the file off his desk for good measure before spinning on her heel and making a furious exit.

She made it as far as the lobby before two guards approached and made a grab for her.

*****

Oh man.

Sorry this update was Tony-lacking. I really only had that first bit planned for him for this update. Maybe tomorrow he'll get more screen time.

What did you think of Ziva's mess? Is she in trouble? What's going to happen next?

I don't know either.

Vote and comment!